Cast a Giant Shadow (1966)

Director:

Melville Shavelson

Writers:

Ted Berkman (book)
Melville Shavelson (written for the screen by)

Release Date:

30 March 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Outnumbered - unarmed - unprepared - they stunned the world with their incredible victory!

Plot:

An American Army officer is recruited by the yet to exist Israel to help them form an army. He is disturbed by this sudden appeal to his jewish roots...

Plot Keywords:

Israel | Jewish | Arab | Bombardment | Tragic Hero

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Col. David 'Mickey' Marcus
Senta Berger	...	Magda Simon
Angie Dickinson	...	Emma Marcus
James Donald	...	Maj. Safir
Stathis Giallelis	...	Ram Oren
Luther Adler	...	Jacob Zion
Topol	...	Abou Ibn Kader
Ruth White	...	Mrs. Chaison
Gordon Jackson	...	James MacAfee
Michael Hordern	...	British Ambassador
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Immigration Officer
Jeremy Kemp	...	Senior British Officer
Sean Barrett	...	Junior British Officer
Michael Shillo	...	Andre Simon
Rina Ganor	...	Rona
Roland Bartrop	...	Bert Harrison
Robert Gardett	...	General Walsh
Michael Balston	...	1st Sentry
Claude Aliotti	...	2nd Sentry
Samra Dedes	...	Belly Dancer
Micha Shagrir	...	Truck Driver (as Michael Shagrir)
Frank Latimore	...	1st U.N. Officer (as Frank Lattimore)
Ken Buckle	...	2nd U.N. Officer
Rod Dana	...	Aide to Gen. Randolph (as Rodd Dana)
Robert Ross	...	Aide to Chief of Staff
Arthur Hansel	...	Pentagon Officer
Dan Sturkie	...	Jump Sergeant (as Don Sturkie)
Hillel Rave	...	Yaakov
Shlomo Hermon	...	Yussuff
Frank Sinatra	...	Vince Talmadge
Yul Brynner	...	Asher Gonen
John Wayne	...	Gen. Mike Randolph
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vera Dolen	...	Mrs. Martinson (scenes deleted)
Gary Merrill	...	Pentagon Chief of Staff (scenes deleted)
Winston Churchill	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Michael Douglas	...	Jeep Driver (uncredited)
Rudolf Hess	...	Himself at Nuremberg (archive footage) (uncredited)
Fiorello LaGuardia	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Geoffrey Palmer	...	David (uncredited)
Danny Perlman	...	Jeep Driver (uncredited)
Franklin D. Roosevelt	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jimmy Shaw	...	Jeep Driver (uncredited)
Joseph Stalin	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Melville Shavelson

Writing credits
Ted Berkman		(book)
Melville Shavelson		(written for the screen by)

Produced by
Melville Shavelson	....	producer
Michael Wayne	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Aldo Tonti		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bert Bates
Gene Ruggiero

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Michael Stringer

Art Direction by
Arrigo Equini

Set Decoration by
Ferdinando Ruffo

Costume Design by
Margaret Furse

Makeup Department
Dave Grayson	....	makeup artist (as David Grayson)
Vasco Reggiani	....	hair stylist (as Vasco Regianni)
Euclide Santoli	....	makeup artist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Nate H. Edwards	....	production manager (as Nate Edwards)
Shlomo Mugrabi	....	unit production manager: Israel (as Shlomo Mograbi)
Patrick J. Palmer	....	unit manager
Allen K. Wood	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack N. Reddish	....	assistant director (as Jack Reddish)
Jack N. Reddish	....	second unit director (as Jack Reddish)
Charles R. Scott Jr.	....	assistant director (as Charles Scott Jr.)
Tim Zinnemann	....	assistant director

Art Department
Joe LaBella	....	property master (as Joseph La Bella)
Danny Perlman	....	assistant property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Bowen	....	sound
Chuck Overhulser	....	sound editor
Clem Portman	....	sound re-recordist
Marvin Walowitz	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
James D. Young	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Sass Bedig	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Joseph Nathanson	....	matte artist (as Joseph Natanson)

Stunts
Ken Buckle	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Marko Ya'acobi	....	camera operator: second unit (as Marco Yakovlevich)
Bob Penn	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Annalisa Nasalli-Rocca	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Avraham Leibman	....	mechanic
Guy Luongo	....	production coordinator: Italy
Marion Mertes	....	script supervisor
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)
Ralph M. Leo	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Batjac Productions
• Bryna Productions
• Llenroc Productions
• Mirisch Corporation, The

Distributors

• United Artists (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1966) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1967) (France) (theatrical) (as Les Artistes Associés )
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1970) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Key Video (1984) (USA) (VHS) (Pan and scan for CBS/Fox Video)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (West Germany) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Air France  special equipment

Also Known As:

Runtime:

146 min | USA:138 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (f) | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Batjac Productions

Trivia:

During filming in August 1965 John Wayne enraged director Melville Shavelson with his views on the Watts Riots.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When returning home to his ailing wife, Col. Marcus arrives from the airport in a "Checker" cab that was built in the mid to late fifties. The movie takes place in 1947 and 48.

Quotes:

Emma Marcus:I guess I'm proud of you. But I'm so damn tired of being proud of you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Lila Lel

Terrific story of Israel's 1st general in 2000 years

Excellent cast, intelligent script, heart-warming scenes of loyalty, determination, re-discovered faith, sobering scenes of the cost of freedom, wow! I was completely engrossed watching this film, the story of General David "Mickey" Marcus (Kirk Douglas), who in 1948 became the first Israeli general since Joshua of Biblical times. This film came out when I was 14 and I have somehow missed seeing it all these years. I had no idea what I was missing.

What I don't understand is the grumbling and complaining about what a "bad" film this is. Huh? I loved it! Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, Yul Bryunner, Senta Berger and Frank Sinatra were perfectly cast in their roles. The script covered the highlights of the War of Independence during the brief time time Marcus was involved, and I don't know what more you could expect for a feature film. To tell the story of the war completely and thoroughly would take a miniseries of 20 hours or more. Yes, the special effects look dated now, but you can't fault something because it doesn't use technology that hadn't been invented yet. Also, learning that Senta Berger's character was fictional and apparently only inserted to make a good story, was a disappointment. However, her character was a wonderful metaphor for Marcus' newly found love for Israel and re-discovery of his faith, after living as a secular American Jew for his entire life. (At one point Marcus says he hasn't been to temple since his bar mitzvah).

Also, I must say that I think the person who complained here on IMDb about John Wayne's reaction to seeing the Dachau concentration camp in the World War II flashback is completely off the mark. Wayne, as Pattonesque American general Mike Randolph, struggles to keep his emotions intact as he looks at the horror of the camp his troops have recently liberated. He orders his adjutant to give Marcus whatever he needs to tend to the Dachau survivors and turns away, his back to the camera. He leans against a fence, head down, physically and emotionally overcome. What would you want him to do in such a situation? I suspect the objecting person just doesn't like John Wayne no matter what the film or what his role.

His son Michael Wayne was co-producer with the film's director and screenwriter Mel Shavelson, and Wayne's Batjac Productions is one of four production companies listed. Another reviewer here has cynically suggested most of the budget went to Wayne's salary and I say balderdash! I'm quite sure the Wayne family's interest and participation in this film was not merely financial. I'm equally sure they wanted to help tell this story of the Israeli struggle for freedom they thought the world should hear. Then and now, for that matter.

I want to thank the Showtime networks for airing this film in the USA on May 16, 2009, which happened to be two days after the 61st anniversary of Israeli independence day. Nice touch, and a terrific weekend to see this film.